Partners of War

 
Chasing Botzar
My mind is still linked with Makish.
Her thoughts are a mess.

Her emotions rise and fall and spin.
She’s nearly in shock.

“I can’t find him, Yagrin,” she sobs.
“The stasis fields are gone, but there’s no trace of Botzar or B’tzel.”
“Maybe they died long ago,” she says quietly, her hope gone.

“No, Makish,” I answer.
“They were alive in the fields, when the ship was still in orbit.”

Have you scanned the ship yet, to find them?” I ask.

“Help me, Yagrin,” she says.
“I can’t touch the web right now.”
“I can’t … Read more

Friends and Enemies

 
Among the Enemy
The night is quiet, except for the sound of gentle waves.
I wake once to find that the Feldin treat me as one of their own, sleeping tightly against me, even on this warm night.
Makish lies next to me, where she fell asleep, and Shazira and the children sleep nearby.

I wake again at dawn when the Feldin get up to return to the sea.
The Heelu fly in a circle above me, as the Feldin enter the water.

When the last of the Feldin are gone, the Heelu quickly follow.
The city is quiet, … Read more

Artifacts of Destruction

 
The Threat
The roof of the city, a thousand feet above us, is invisible at night, hidden behind an endless sea of bright stars.

By day, the crystal roof lets daylight pour through, to provide the city with a strong, even, light.
At night, the crystal strengthens the natural starlight, until the roof is covered with stars, and our eyes and the streets are filled with a gentle light.

The starlight takes hold of every path, and follows us as we walk through the city.
Even on this night of a dark moon.

The enhanced starlight has a … Read more

Birth of the Balancer

 
Fountain of Light
A round crystal table, red and gold, is spread with food – fish, fruits, and vegetables.
We sit for a meal, and Mayla tells us more about the city.
When we finish, she hands us communication disks.

“The disks display maps of the city,” she says, “and an index of different sites.”
“Use your disk to get directions to any location, and to configure the transport platforms.”

“Take twenty minutes to see a little more of the city,” says Mayla.
“Then I’ll call you and give you a destination where we’ll all assemble.”

Shazira and I … Read more

City of Life

 
Life and Light
“It’s time to show you the city,” says Mayla.

I hear the sound of crashing waves as an image fills the room: a small barren island, surrounded by sharp reefs.

“What do you see?” asks Mayla.

“The island that the city rests on,” answers Berek, “empty, as we saw it from the air.”

“Correct.”
“The wall’s energy distorts the size of the island, and hides the city, until you come within a hundred feet of it.”

“Not long after the war, a few Jiku tried to find the city.”
“When they approached the island, there was … Read more

Messengers of War

 
Mayla
Shilann spoke of a machine that guards the city, but he called it, she.

It appears where Shilann sat, but is it woman, or machine?
What does a machine need with a beautiful smile, clothes that sparkle, and long, shiny, red hair?

She rises and walks toward us with a grace that reminds me of the Bizra.
Is she an image, like Shilann?

She stands near me, and raises her hands in the greeting of palms.
I rise, and find her touch is soft, warm, and solid.
She stares into my eyes, holds the greeting with … Read more